Beware of emerging subvariants - Indonesian govt urges public to have greater vigilance amid rising Covid-19 cases

Save the planetEnvironmental activists marching during a protest on the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Meanwhile, the cop28 climate talks in Dubai have seen a flurry of announcements promising action on global warming, led by its big-spending, oil-rich host the United Arab Emirates. See environment-related reports on page 35. — Reuters

THE Indonesian Health Ministry has urged greater vigilance amid a recent uptick in cases of new Covid-19 subvariants, both in the country and around the globe, while reassuring the public on the availability of vaccines.

Health Ministry spokesman Siti Nadia Tarmizi said that the number of novel coronavirus infections had risen “from previously only 10 to 20 cases weekly to 267 cases last week”.